Dermatologists Say Keep It Simple for Your Perfect Skincare Routine
- Bruce Coffman
- Jan 22
- 7 min read
I took most of this information from an article from Real Simple which is linked at the end so you can see the expensive big name brand products they recommend you run to ScAmazon and order to make Jeff Bezos even more disgustingly rich. Why at the end? So you don't just click it and not read my much better article from which I trimmed their BS and added some common sense to as well as great affordable and clinically proven options from... Avon! Because fuck the oligarchy and douches like that Lauder dude who owns almost all the big cosmetics and skincare brands and is pushing Donald Pedophile Trump to snatch Greenland. Yuck.
Contrary to what the beauty industry pushes to get you to buy more and outrageously priced products, the best skin care routine isn’t necessarily the most complex with viral products pushed on you by TikTok "influencers," experts say. It’s one that’s simple enough for you to stick with every day, according to double board-certified dermatologist and surgeon Whitney Hovenic. Double board-certified. Wow. Fancy! Dr. Hovenic is a double board-certified dermatologist and Mohs micrographic dermatologic surgeon at Skin Cancer and Dermatology Institute in the Greater Reno-Tahoe area.
Dr. Hovenic says one of the biggest mistake she sees in her practice is patients with skin care routines that are too complicated for them to stick with. She says a simple routine that includes three easy steps is all that’s needed to maintain skin health and build good habits that last:
1. Cleansing
2. Hydration
3. SPF
Her three step morning and evening routine is easy to follow, stick with and won't cost you a fortune or clutter up your vanity with products you don't even need.
Morning Step One
Use a gentle cleanser to remove overnight oil without irritating your skin. Look for a formula free of fragrances and sulfates, Dr. Hovenic says. For this step, she suggested, of course, a huge name brand with ceramides to help boost skin’s natural defenses. Avon's got you, boo.
This lightweight formula features skin-nourishing ingredients, including jojoba oil and rice water extract, to help remove every trace of dirt while also visibly brightening the skin.
BENEFITS
• Good for oily and combination skin
• Removes makeup and impurities
KEY INGREDIENTS
• Rice Water - Enriched with vitamins A, B and E, ceramide and minerals, to help skin feel moisturized and look radiant.
• Jojoba Oil - Smooths skin, contains antioxidants and helps fight the effects of skin’s exposure to bacteria.
Morning Step Two
Add a lightweight moisturizer to lock in hydration without heaviness. Dr. Hovenic once again recommends one of the big dogs, calling it a lightweight moisturizer that is oil-free and loaded with hyaluronic acid for lasting moisture. Avon has that, too.
This is what your skin has been thirsting for—Anew Hydra Fusion, the collection of skin care that both hydrates AND defends. A revolutionary combo of power-packed ingredients infuses skin with instant*, deep and lasting hydration + defends it from environmental stressors. The water-like gel absorbs instantly making skin appear smoother, refreshed and plumped with hydration.
*Clinical results after 15 minutes, with use of 1.5% Hyaluronic Serum.
BENEFITS
• Contains hyaluronic acid, a super hydrator naturally found in skin and lost over time that holds more than 1,000 times its weight in water so skin looks smooth, refreshed and vibrant
• Contains raspberry antioxidant, a potent ingredient that helps defend skin from environmental stressors to keep skin looking healthy and glowing
• Provides 72 hours of long-lasting hydration • Non-greasy
• Locks in moisture
• Vegan formula
• Hypoallergenic, dermatologist-tested and allergy-tested
KEY INGREDIENTS
• Hyaluronic Acid – A super hydrator naturally found in skin and lost over time that holds more than 1,000 times its weight in water so skin looks smooth, refreshed and vibrant.
• Raspberry Antioxidant – A potent ingredient that helps defend skin from environmental stressors to keep skin looking healthy and glowing.
FORMULATED WITHOUT
• Oil
• Alcohol
• Phthalates
• Parabens
• Sulfates
• Petroleum
Morning Step Three
Protect your skin for the day with SPF. Any dermatologist and will tell you that sun protection is a daily must to protect skin from harmful UVA/UVB rays that can cause sunburn, dark spots, visible aging, and even skin cancer. For this final morning step, Dr. Hovenic is a noted fan of mineral sunscreens that melt easily into skin and don’t clog pores. Avon has a great 100% mineral sunscreen with no white cast that's suitable for sensitive skin.
Everyone needs sun protection, and if you’re looking to help prevent signs of aging skin such as the appearance of wrinkles and dark spots, you’re going to want to make SPF your BFF! A lightweight mineral cream formula with zinc oxide has our highest SPF protection against harmful UVA and UVB rays without leaving a white cast. Plus hydrating panthenol, niacinamide, and peony extracts to help keep skin feeling soft and smooth!
BENEFITS
• 100% mineral sunscreen cream with no white cast
• Suitable for sensitive skin
• Water-resistant up to 40 minutes
• Hypoallergenic and dermatologist-tested
• Reef-friendly*
*Formulated without chemical sunscreen ingredients
KEY INGREDIENTS
• Mineral Sunscreen - Often referred to as “physical sunscreen,” the active ingredients (like zinc oxide) sit on the skin’s surface and physically help prevent UV rays from penetrating the skin. It’s great for those with sensitive skin or kids, offers immediate protection (no extra time needed for absorption) and can be applied over makeup.
• Paeonol + Peony Extract – Helps skin renewal process
• Niacinamide (vitamin B3) – Helps visibly minimize pores, improve skin tone, soften the appearance of lines and wrinkles and protect against environmental stressors
• Panthenol (vitamin B5) – A super hydrator that helps prevent water loss, and provides lasting moisturization by enhancing the skin’s barrier
• Nutmeg extract – Helps visibly even skin tone while calming and soothing skin
Evening Step One
Gently remove makeup or just the day's gunk if you're not a makeup wearer. You definitely want to make sure dirt, oil, SPF, and any makeup you may have worn are all fully removed before bed. To do this gently, Dr. Hovenic recommends micellar water for thorough cleansing without harsh scrubbing. And, guess what. Avon has that, too. From their awesome Korean beauty line. At a budget friendly price for a generous sized bottle.
A mild, transparent cleansing water that removes makeup and impurities via the micellar method, so there is no need to rinse off! Tired-looking, dull skin now appears radiant and revitalized. 16.9 fl. oz.
BENEFITS
• No water needed!
• Feels refreshing and non-sticky
• Unscented and colorless, so it’s suitable for sensitive skin
KEY INGREDIENTS
• Rice Water - The milky white water obtained from rinsing rice, rice water is enriched with vitamins A, B and E, ceramide and minerals, to help skin feel moisturized and look radiant.
• Rice Bran Oil - It contains squalene, a natural oil and antioxidant that mimics skin’s natural oil to keep skin looking supple, youthful and radiant
• Micelles - Bubbles that attract, trap and remove dirt without water.
Evening Step Two
Follow up with a hydrating cleanser. A moisture-rich cleanser will help support skin’s natural defenses overnight. For lasting hydration, look for ingredients like glycerin and ceramides. And look what Avon has for you...
Rice water, the milky white water obtained from rinsing rice, is enriched with vitamins A, B and E, ceramide and minerals to help skin feel moisturized and look radiant. Our foaming cleanser produces a whipped cream-like texture that softly glides onto the skin to effectively remove makeup residue while moisturizing. 5.4 fl. oz.
KEY INGREDIENTS
•Rice water and soapwort extract - leave skin clearer and with brighter tone
BENEFITS
• Cleanses and moisturizes in one
• Creamy texture lathers up into a rich foam
• Good for dry, sensitive and normal skin types
• Brightens and hydrates skin
• Great for those with a dull skin tone and rough texture
• Gently removes makeup residue without irritating skin
• Works well with an electric cleansing brush or without
Evening Step Three
Finish with a barrier-repairing moisturizer. Avon's classic Anew to the rescue. A clinically proven formula with a track record of real results.
Best-selling Anew Ultimate Multi-Performance Night Cream is a high-performance anti-aging moisturizer that works while you sleep to revive and recreate the look of youthful skin.
BENEFITS
• 100% of those tested showed an improvement in skin tone
• Lifts and firms skin on face, jaw and neck
• Restores a radiant and youthful appearance
• Helps improve the look of skin’s texture, clarity, skin tone, fine wrinkles and crow’s-feet
• Avon's Celluvive Complex helps eliminate visible age-related damage on the skin's surface, dramatically diminishing the signs of aging
• Allergy-tested, dermatologist-tested, hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic
• Provides 24-hour moisturization
• Vegan formula
KEY INGREDIENTS
• Celluvive Complex — Enriched with Tilacora Leaf extract, a South-East Asian botanical known for its healing properties. The formula helps visibly diminish key signs of aging. You‘ll see smoother texture, more even tone, diminished wrinkles, with firmness, elasticity and youthful volume restored.
FORMULATED WITHOUT
• Oil
• Phthalates
• Parabens
• Sulfates
• Petroleum
And that's all there is to it. No thirteen steps, no 20 different products. Easy, doable and something you can stick with. Okay, now you can go shop the overpriced crap they recommend from ScAmazon instead of ordering the better quality, better priced options from my online Avon shop. If you choose. The Skin Care Mistake Dermatologists Want Patients to Stop Making—and the Drugstore Swaps to Use Instead By Miles Walls Published on January 20, 2026 09:30AM EST
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